Leader Of The Band: South Windsor Teacher Tom Savage Has Died

WINDSOR LOCKS — Thomas J. Savage, middle school music teacher and leader of a fraternal Connecticut band that shook and rattled the walls in many a bar, reception hall and stadium, has died. He was 52.

The longtime frontman and saxophone player for the Savage Brothers Band lost his 18 month battle with cancer Sunday. A married father of three daughters, Savage left a legacy of musical inspiration to students in South Windsor and jubilant memories to the many wedding partyers, booze cruisers and arena rockers who stomped and danced to the group's mix of rock, funk and horn band boogie.

Savage was the oldest of four boys and one girl from Windsor Locks. Tom, Steve, Mark and Michael had played together since they were kids, coached, prodded and encouraged by their parents, natives of Northern Ireland.

Bernadette (O'Hanlon) Savage took her sons to see Elvis Presley in the early 1970s and ferried them to private lessons at the Hartt School of Music in West Hartford every Friday after school. Joseph Savage, the boys' dad, was a piano player and jazz clarinetist who played professionally as a young man, but gave it up when he came to the U.S. in 1960.

The patriarch, however, kept music flowing in his house, introducing each child to an instrument, starting with Tom on the clarinet (sister Debra Savage told The Courant in 1987 that she had played the piano, but didn't much like it). During those living room sessions, Joe Savage accompanied his sons on piano and "practically put his foot through the floor keeping the beat," Mark Savage, the group's trumpet player, said.

The Savage Brothers Band launched in 1984 after Tom Savage graduated from Plymouth State University in New Hampsire with a bachelor's degree in musical education.

"The credit has to go to Tommy," Joe Savage said in a 1987 interview with The Courant. "He's a good organizer."

Their first big gig, the infamous Savage Bash, was held in their parents' backyard, where several hundred revelers emptied 17 half kegs of beer, Mark Savage said. The band continued with "Savage Splash" boat cruises, culminating in the late '80s with rolling gigs before 1,200 partying passengers on the Block Island Ferry.

"It got too crazy," Mark Savage said. "We had 10 Greyhound buses leaving Windsor Locks and 750 people on the boat when we got there. The last year, it was just absolutely nuts."

Through more than 4,000 shows, Tom Savage was the band's organizer, publicist and leader. As their fame spread beyond the state borders, the Savage Brothers shared stages with acts that included Tower of Power, The Guess Who, the Marshall Tucker Band, James Cotton and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.

Tom played on stage up until about a month ago, Mark Savage said. Near the end of his life, as he reviewed the band's full agenda for the coming year, Tom Savage "was very positive," Mark said. He said his brother, 6 feet, 2 inches tall and 240 pounds in his health, was "very matter-of-fact" about the wasting illness.

"Tommy's never been anyone's victim," Mark Savage said.

Until several weeks ago, Tom Savage also continued teaching music at Timothy Edwards Middle School in South Windsor, a job he started in 1997.

"He showed up every day at school while he was going through chemo and in pain," Savage's friend, Sally Custer, a physical education teacher at the middle school, said.

"But you would never know it," Custer said. "He fought to the bitter end. He fought like a savage. That's kind of what our motto is here."

Savage led the eighth-grade band and also taught jazz to middle and high school students in town, Principal Nancy Larson said.

"The music he got out of his kids was amazing," Larson said.

Students and former students filled social media with tributes to their teacher this week.

"Rest in peace Mr Savage. we all love and miss you so much. Keep rockin out in heaven," @MeghanGorman22 posted on Twitter.

Before teaching and playing, however, Tom Savage's first devotion was to his three daughters, Sarah, Claire and Kaitlyn, Mark Savage said.

"He enjoyed, more than anything in this world, spending time with his lovely daughters," according to his obituary. "Whether enjoying the great outdoors camping, hiking or biking, traveling to Ireland or making music together, his life simply revolved around his three girls."

His daughters returned the feeling. After their father was diagnosed with cancer, the girls started a fundraising organization called "Sing for Savage," raising about $10,000, most of which went to care for other cancer patients.

The band's lineup now includes Keith Kruser on guitar, keyboard and vocals; Michael Savage, drums and vocals; Frank Cook, lead guitar; Les Haley, bass and vocals; Mark Savage trumpet and vocals; and Frank Lombardo, the new saxophone player.

"We do it now with his spirit," Mark said, looking forward to the band's next gig. "We're gonna blow the roof off the joint."

Calling hours are set for Friday from 4-8 p.m. at Windsor Locks Funeral Home, 441 Spring St, Windsor Locks. The funeral service is scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m. at St. Robert Bellarmine Church, 52 South Elm St., Windsor Locks. Burial will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Savage Girls Education Fund, care of Windsor Locks Federal Credit Union 516 Spring St., Windsor Locks, CT 06096.